Having spent the majority of my 20+ years dining on pizza, Mr. Noodles and fast(ish) food, I decided to do something extra special for my 20th birthday and made a reservation at well-reviewed, high-end restaurant in Toronto, Ontario.
Frank’s Kitchen is located in Little Italy with a stand out white entrance and two huge glass windows. On the inside, it featured dim lighting, draperies and immediate attention was drawn to a vibrant bar area. Our party of 5 was seated in front of one of the large glass windows. It is difficult to recall all of the feelings I was experiencing during that meal, so I will highlight some of the events that stood out.
Due to the rather tight budget of student living, each of us chose to only order an entree and hopefully fill up on bread. We first received homemade artisan bread and spreads and then the waiter brought out a mushroom soup taster in a shot glass. I believe we were thinking, “we didn’t order this” but, we kindly accepted. After the mushroom soup, they brought out a tray of little spoons each with a lemony ice cube. A palate cleanser – this was new! They quickly changed over all of our tableware and we received our entrees. At this point an hour had passed and we were hungry. I chose the lobster ravioli which to my own disappointment was poorly filled and featured little lobster đŸ˜¦ I also wasn’t too fond of the flavour and believed it was due to the heavy presence of shallot in the filling* (Side note: After this experience, I convinced myself I hated shallot and avoided it for the next three years). My party had all enjoyed their entrees and that outweighed my underwhelming meal. After dinner, they brought out homemade chocolate truffles (free of charge) and then a birthday dessert.
Overall, I left Frank’s Kitchen with a good impression. I had never been to a restaurant that cleans your table and changes your plates. In all honesty, it changed my dining experience forever. It was the first time I had ever eaten at a restaurant which focused on turning “going out for dinner” into an a real experience. My 20th birthday dinner is still an event my friends talk about and I often hold other restaurants to this standard.
Wishing you all of the most delicious meals,
Alena
Good Eats Atlas 